High Performance Computing in Multibody System Design

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This paper presents recent developments of high performance computing and networking techniques in the field of computer-aided multibody analysis and design. The authors describe the main achievements obtained in the development of a tool to aid in the design of new industrial mechanical systems by performing parallel parametric multibody simulations. The parallel software is composed of four main modules: two user-friendly interfaces to input the data and visualize the results, a simulation module, and a parallel manager module that is the main focus of this paper. The authors show that the implementation, using PVM, of simple and well-known ideas leads to efficient and flexible parallel software targeted for heterogeneous networks of nondedicated workstations, which is the parallel platform available in most mechanical design departments. The authors also describe the main features of this module that implements, for the sake of efficiency and robustness, a load-balancing strategy and fault tolerance capabilities. One of the main results of this development has been to demonstrate that high performance computing can sometimes be easily and efficiently introduced into industrial companies without requiring major investments. Pictures of the user interfaces are depicted to illustrate the usability of the parallel software. Performance observed on single and multiprocessor workstation networks is given to assess the relevance of using high performance computing techniques in an industrial environment for the design of mechanical systems.